Car-door.



GMISTY.

CAR Doon. APPLICATION PI LED AUG. l. 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i au? H. A. CHRISTY.

UAR DOOR. YPLIUATION FILED AUG. 1. 1910.

9'?5;M9. Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

3 BERUFE-SHEET 2.

11. A. CHRISTY. c1111 Doon. APPLICATION FILED LUG. 1, 1910.

Patented' Nov. 15, 1910.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT orfani HENRY A. CHRISTY, OLT' KENILVWORTE, ILLLGIGAR-B003.

Specification of Letters Patent, atggtged N317., 19* @D Applicationfiled August l, mit). Serial No. 574,935.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, HEXRY A.-CHn1sTY, a

citizen' of the United States, residing atdoorway opening and one ormore closable ports for the entrance and delivery 0I lading similar tograin, coal and the like.

It; has been'customary and usual heretofore to provide railway cars withan outside door and with a supplemental or additional grain door whichis of use only when the car is transporting grain. These ordinaryoutside doors are subject to considerable danin age and injury owing totheir exposed condition, their proper operation is not infrequentlyinterfered with because of climatic conditions, and when damaged oriinproperly supported on the car side they are frequently a menace tothe safety of passengers in cars `traveling on adjacent tracks, becausethey are subject to displacement by winds and the like.

@ne of the objects of this invention i.: to provide foreach door openinga single door Which will perform the function of the ordinary outsidedoor and also be' suitable for use as a grain door.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a 'full and completeunderstanding ot I the invention, I have illustrated a preferred anddesirable embodiment of the saine in the accompanying drawings formingra part of' this specification, and throughout the varions views of whichlike reference characters relier to the same parts.

in' these dra wingsf-Figure lv shows a fragment of a car doorway :indillustrates in elevation the outer face ot a metallic door embodying thetentures ot construction and advantage oli' this invention; Fin'. 2 is avertical .section through the door on line 2 2 of Fig. 1'; Fin: fl is-anelevation ot n forni and .style of locking or tightening:

means which may be employed in connu-tion Y ot strengthening ribbedplatesl, LNB, E; and

with a door olE 'this rliarar'ter ii desired oi' necessary: Fing. 4 is asection on line l 3; hier. 5 is a horizontal,sectionthrough Vi i port,on line 5-5 of Fig. 1; Figs. 6, Z 8 are sections on an enlarged scalethrough, the lower portion of the car-door, illustrati the closure orsupplemental doot` for the lower port, in various positions; Fig'. @iisa horizontal section on an enlarged scale., upon. line 9 9 of Fig. 1;Fig. 10 is .seetion, on an enlarged scale, on line iO-10 ot Fig. l; Fig.ll isa vertical section, on an enlarged scale, through the upper portionor y the door, and 'is similar to the showing: in the upger portion of2; Fig. 1f?, illus-tintes the means of securing in place the lower edgeof the upper supplemental door or closure; Fig. i3 illustrates the meanstor 'preventing accidental or unauthorized opening of the uppersupplementall door; and 1 Fig. 14. illustrates the means for joinitogether the two plates ot different thickness of which the main body ofthe large door is composed.

By reference to these drawings it. will apparent that the main car door,which of suicient Width and height to close the entire doorway 15 ot'the ear, is composed of two metal plates 16 and 17, the lower 16 ofwhich is of heavier construction and ot' greater thickness than theupper plate. As is perhaps more clearly shown in l? 14, these tivoplates, at their junction, are

Y is

4overlapped and secured together by a of rivets i8, which, together witha. row ofrivets 19, also fasten to the o face of the door a holloirirstiening har strip 20, bent or shaped to have-a central longitudinalrib, as is clearly illustrated. Along each vertical edge, this door isequipped with an angle har 21 at the front edge, and with an angle bar22 at the back edge, the niain plate or sheet of 'the door beingdisposed in front of one flange of each of these hars, while theV otheriianges ot the hars project outwardly, as is clearly indicated in Figs.t) and l0. Alongl its top edge, the door is provided with a smaller,stiftening' angle hai' 23 resting` against the outer face ot' the doorand having one flange extended outwardl as shown erhans more clearly inPig. ll. below this-liar the door is also supplied, on its outer/face,with aoother .stitl'eninior strengthening angle hart, :ind isturthcrequipped with n phiralit 2t?, fastened tothe door in the usualmanner, hy means ot rivets, and constructed siniihii.' n.. on

' main door and the closure for the lower l to the nienihci no.

.LOU

As is shown in Fig. 8, the cai" floor at the doorway opening is suppliedwith a rarl 29 having a suitable base 30 on which the lower edge of theplate 16 rests and is adapted to l" provided with an opening or port 31of substantial size, such opening extending up wardly from the bottoniedge ot the door. This port is supplied for the purpose of permitting aready discharge ol the grain or other similar lading, and obviously itis necessary to provide the same with some sort of a closure orsupplemental door which will e'tlectively and securely prevent leakageofthe grain or other lading. To effect this result l use a metal plate33 somewhat longer and also somewhat wider than the opening 31 which itis intended to close, and l.' fasten such plate or door 33 to the maindoor by a pair of chains or cables 34, the construction being clearlyillustrated in the various figures. The lower edge. of the plate orsupplemental door 33 is bent inwardly slightly at 35 and is adapted whenthe door is closed to be disposed inside of the rail 29, the excesslength of vthe plate 33 for the accomplishment of this result being cutoff, will be readily understood. Along its lower edge, the plate hasriveted thereto a curved strip 3h adapted to overlie and be disposedoutside of the rail 29 in the closed position ot tb door, shown in Fig.t3. Near its top e fe and extended longitudinally of the platt 0" thelatter has fastened thereto an angle bar 37, the lower flange of whichprojects or extends outwardly, as.

shown.

Just below the stiffening rib`23, the main vdoor has riveted to itsouter face an outstanding, depending shield or apron 38 adapted to coverand protect an eccentric shaft 39 rotatable or oscillatory in aplurality of strap bearings 40 riveted to the cuter surface of the doorbeneath the apron 3S, one end of such eccentric shaft having a laterallybent-handle 41 with an apertured end 42 adap 'ed to receivev a staple 43in the closed position of the supplemental door 33, the staple in turnbeing intended to receive a holding pin 44, which, if' desired, may beal at lVhen the lower edge of the 3?- stri-lddles the rail 2t) and thedoor is in closed position, the eccentric portions of the shaft 39, bycoaction with lthe stiffening angle bar 3T, act to forcibly press theupper edge of the door against the outer face of the main door beneaththe shaft, as shown in Fig. G, and, due to the great leverage secured bythe handle 41, the secure and tight closure of the supplemental orauxiliary door niay be effected with little effort. The outer I face ofthe plate 33 has fastened thereto for its manipulation a pair of handles46 which are adapted to take over a pair of hooks 47 on the inain doorwhen this auxiliary door is hung up in open position, as shown in Fig.8. To secure a tight or grain-proof joint between the vertical edges ofthe plate 33 and the corresponding parts of the main door, the edgeportions of the plate 33 are crimped, as shown in Fig. 5, at 4S, forlthereception of half-round bars 49 fastened to the plate 16 along thevertical edges of the opening 3l. Clearly, then, when the door ispressed honie to'closed position, no grain, coal or similar lading canleak around the vertical edges, The main car-door also has an upper portor loading opening 50 of rectangular forni, of substantially the samelength as the low-er port, but. preferably ot somewhatgrea'ter width,whereby to permit the ready entrance of a person through such openinginto the car-body. In order to close this upper port, I supply the doorwith an# other auxiliary door or plate 51, the lower edge of which isadapted to be held in closed relation and overlapping the main door byar plurality ol brackets 52, shown in detail in Fig. 12, such bracketsbeing adapted and intended to receive the lower 4edge of the door 51between themselves and the outer surface of themain door-plate 17. Atits upper edge, the plate 51 is bent to provide a roll or hollowfinishing bead 52, which acts both to stiften the plate and to do awaywith a raw and sharp edge along the top of 'i the door. The upperportion of this supple mental door 51 is adapted to bear against theinner face of theinain door plate 17, as indicated in Fig. 11, and isheld in contact with such inner surface by the end parts oo of the plate51, which form prolongations or extensions of hollow ribs 54 along thevertical edges of the plate 51, such ribs accommodating half-round bars55 on the plate 17, which construction is similar to that dcscribedabove in connection with the lower door 33. These fingers or projections53 overlap the vertical flange of the angle bar 24, and consequentlyactI to maintain the,

has a. single central handle GO, the lattere'ii .13

ing of especia-l use for grasping when'thr ltlt) assist in maintaining egrain-tight relation between the vertical-edges of the door and 'shapedmetal strip t5? adapted to secure a member T4 fastened to the outer faceof the ,door 5l has been first freed 'trom-the hasn @weee operatorwishes to enter the ear through the upper opening. In order to preventunau-k thorized opening of this upper door, it can he supplied with oneor more staples 6l cooperating with hinged straps 62 fuloruned' at 63 onthe main door, the holes through such straps being adapted to receivethe staplesl Gl, through which may ne passed the .Securing pin 64,which, it preferred, may he sealed at 4654 ln order'to maintain the doorin proper grain-tight relation With the side wall ot' i the ear, thelatter, .on the inside of thevcar, above the doorway opening l5, hasfastened thereto a plurality of straps or brackets (SG overlapping thetop edge of the door and-its inner tace, es will be readily understood,acting to holdthe' door down in place and to hold it laterally inopereitive relation with the side wall of the ear. ln order to the carsideovall, the forward edge oi' the doorway is supplied or equipped witha V .vedging action with a small flange titl on 'the outer edge of anglehar Q1.. The other ver tical-edge of the door *ay has fastened thereto awedge strip (Si) which coacts in a similar manner with a small flange T0on the edge of angle har 22, it 'being understood that in order to openthe door it is moved in the direction indicated .by the arrows in Figs.l, 9 and l0.

s a supplemental or additional holding means ltor the main door. l mayuse, if found necessary' or desirable, a damping mechanism shown inFigs. ,B and` Ll, which comprises e level` 7l ulcruined to the doorway'casing at T2, and having a curved wedge arm 73 adapted to coact with .awedge door, sueh member 74 having an undercut part l5 for theaccommodation ot the end of the arm 73. lVhen this lever Tl is turned onits fulcrlun to the right. as the parts are viewed in Fig. 4l, it drawsthe door 1G, l? outwardly into tight relation with the side wall ot' theear and also acts to torce the door downwardly against vibration orpossible vertical displacement or jarring'. Suitable means 76 may heprovided for holding the lever Il in cooperative and binding relation toits companion member 74.

To fill the eer with grain or other similar ladingihe door 33 ismaintained closed and the door 5l is opened b vgrasping .the pair ol yhandles 59 and pushing the same upwardly, the fingers or projections 53hearing against the vertical flange-,oiI the angle fl. rlhis slightupward movement, assuming that. the

or catch G2, permits it to be pulled o ut- Wardly beyond the supports52, in .which position it can he readily lowered Wholly i l i; l l i laway Jfrom the opening` 50, being supported by the Sshaped loops 57which slide on the hars 56. The grain may then be introduced through theopening 50 into the ear in auf;r approved manner, spo-nts projectedthrough this upner port or opening. The car having; heen filled to the.desired height with the lading., the door 5lv is pushed upwardly, theloops 57 sliding` on the bar 56, and the upper edge of the door 'i 1smade to overlap both the inner and outer surfaces of the plate or doorsections 1G, as shown in Fig. 1l, thereby holding the up- 'ner edge ofthe door securely against inner or onter displacement. i the door israised suliciently to perinitit to he slipped over the brackets 52,which hold it effectively in grain-tight relation 1with lthe outersurface of the' plate or door see- The lower edge of S as through one ormore g tions 17. It may or may not he locked in 8T place hy using theelements (il to 65, inclusive. l/Vhen it is desired to unload the' carof the grain, the operator pulls ont the-A pin est, having first brokenthe seal Llftl, and

thereby releases the handle permitting if the saine to be swungupwardly'sutlieientlv to :treo thelower door or plate 33 from theeccentric portions of the shaft 40.

Owing to the pressure of the `grain, the

door swing-s down to the position Ashown in if {"ie. T, 'this travelbeing' limited hy the p eir of chains 3l. The grain, of con se, in this};esiti n of the door, pours over its top edge and around its end edges.The operator van non' lift the doo' and hooks l?, as shown in Fig. S,iliern'iitting a l'ree and unohstruete-l flow or discharge'of the ladingthrough the opening Ill.. In oi'- tler to use this car door as anordinary door is' used, for opening and closingr the doorway l5 in thecar-hotly sidewall, it is nec; essary to have both of the'supplementarydoors --ll and 5l in closed position, as shown in Fig. l, and', underthese conditions, thisl door may he readily slid on, the hase BOot' therail to open position, 'the upper 4end ot' tho door being),l guided inthis sliding action by the l) ackets 66. (lt course, in order to etlertthis slidinzsg,l opening" of the door, it is' y its companioncooperating inemher lil, if these parts aroused on the ear. 'illhen theAmain door is slid haelt into elosed relationl with the doorway, the tivoflanges 68 and T0 engage the wedge plates til end (it), thecooi'zcration ot these norte tending to move thehole door lat :asidexvise into firm enagement. with the side well of the car, iereovpreventing any leakage or loss of ie ladine` it the letter is nallparticles like grain. I lo those skilled in this ert it will he ep'-narent that the combination door which l have invented and constructedis of simple torni, is "economical to manufacture, is not 2 hung it onthe? l in the forni ofA -l readily damaged, is strong and rigid, and,the parts thereof, owing to their attachnient to the main door, cannotbecome lost or misplaced, as not infrequently occurs with thegrain doorsordinarily in use in `cars already equipped with doors oi a sizesuli'icient and' adapted to close the entire doorway. This new style andforni of door "takes the place of both the main door and the graindoorsA in ordinary use.

While I have described one particular enibodin'i'ent of the invention,the latter is not necessarily limited and restricted to the precise andexact features and details of construction described and shown,becausetlie invention is susceptible of a variety ofenibtalinients,` andthe minor mechanical 'ifea- ,ftures of the door herein set forth may bechanged and modified within wide vlimits without departure from theheart or substance Qf the` invention and' without the sacrificeof 'anysabstantia benefits and adlYaritagest4 'i I clainfr:

l. In aiconstruction ofthe character described, the combination of a cardoor adapt* ed to closelthe-doorwayof a railway car, a

rail at the bottoni of said doorway on which which said door is adaptedto slide, said door having an opening,` at its lower edge, a elosure-forSaid port cooperatingl with said rail,`

the latter assisting in maintainingsaid closure in proper position overthe opening, and an eccentric shaft eoac'tin; l with said closure tohold the saine against the door, substantially as described.

3. In a construction of the character described, the combination of acar door ada pted to close the doorway oi a railway car, a rail at thebottom of said doorway on which said door is adapted to slide, said doorhai'- ing an opening at its lower edge, a closure for said openingadapted to overlap the inside of said rail andv at; its toi) edge tooverla the .outer side of said door, and means to hold the top portionot' said closure against the outer face of said door, substan tially asdescribed.

4l. In a construction of the character described, the coi'nbination of aoar door ,adapt ed to close the doorway of a railway car, a rail at thebottoni of said doorway on which said door is adapted to slide, saiddoor having yan opening at its lower edge, a closure for said openingadapted to overlap the inner side of said rail and at its upper portionto overlap the outer side of said door, and an eccentric shaft mountedon the door and adapted to hold the upper portion of said closureagainst the outer face ot the door, substantially as described.

HENRY A. CHRIS'IY. Witnesses: i

HENRY M. HUXLEY,

CLARE L. RosnNow.

